All Roads
by Joohyunnie
Summary: With the 100th Hunger Games on the fast track to beginning, the tributes couldn't help but wonder if they were willing to die because they couldn't find a reason to fight or whether they would play their aces to survive the harshest games yet. No matter what though, it was cemented that the odds had never been in their favour. [Open SYOT - in need of tributes!]
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

The morning had dawned a bright day in the Capitol to show that the beginning of summer was nearing. The masses had awakened along with the bright sun with a gleeful sense of excitement and it was almost as if the entire population of the Capitol were singing with joy. Feelings of dread were at a distance and were otherwise silenced by the crowding people hurrying to the Capitol's centre hoping to get a live view of the head gamemaker's introduction to this years games. The people had been watching for months on end as high security equipment for the games was transported in with a warm sense of anxiousness as to what the games would come to be. Many imagined something horrible; many imagined something sensational; many didn't seen the difference between the two.

Blasius Watts was one of those people.

Head gamemaker of the quarter quell, Blasius was a man ripe with promise and pride who was as passionate a patriot for the Capitol as any man on the propaganda testing team. He'd watched the rise and fall of the second rebellion with a type of fear he'd never once felt in his life before; he'd viewed the death of close relations as a result with sorrow he couldn't describe and he'd gazed at the execution of the rebels with a smile on his face. Time didn't heal his wounds but he was going to make sure that the district masses knew what it felt like to feel as he did: to have all sense of hope ripped from you in an instant.

He sat solemnly as a brightly decorated woman touched up his make-up with crowds of colours akin to a rainbow gathering in front of the two. A public interview was being broadcast to the Capitol as an exclusive sneak peak to get the crowds hyped for the games and he was the main attraction. Being the centre of attention hadn't been Blasius' forte in the past but there was something about it that gave him a rush. Having the crowds reach out to you hands stretched with eyes as wide as the ocean, begging to know your secrets: it was like a drug.

"Mr. Watts, five minutes to set," a woman told him, scooting past in heels with a folder in her arms.

In an instant, Blasius raised his hand to the make-up woman as a signal for her to stop as he rose from his chair. He took in a few deep breaths in front of the mirror to prepare himself for what was to come: he was going to give it all he had.

He positioned himself behind the stage curtains, fiddling with his bright cerulean crisp suit as the host took a moment to introduce the event.

"Good morning to all of you beautiful ladies and gentlemen in the audience today! It's nice to see everyone breaking out their best to wear on this glorious day: the day we mark the one hundredth Hunger Games!" Aeliana Flickerman, newly appointed master of ceremonies in the case of her father's ill health, boomed to the Capitol citizens gathering gleefully in the area with a smile so unnaturally large. At her words, the crowd gave a thunderous applause. "Now, I know everyone's been looking forward to this for a long time - just like I have - because it's the next Quarter Quell. Can you believe it? The last games seemed like just yesterday, remember those cannibal tributes? Good times."

At the memory, the crowd chuckled.

"Now, now, let's not get too wrapped up in the past because I have a very special man here today - the man who is in charge of all things Quarter Quell, your head gamemaker: Blasius Watts!" Aeliana announced as Blasius made his way up to the stage. Applause was rampant as he took his strides and he was glowing with arrogance and pride.

"It's good to have you here," Aeliana, charismatic and bubbly, grinned at her elder as she pulled him into a friendly hug.

"It's better to be here in front of the Capitol - it just feels like a speech in front of all of my closest friends but I'm afraid I can't thank everyone here can I?" Blasius laughed though having little genuine love for the strangers in the audience.

The two sat on their seats on stage, looking out to the crowd with smiles. "So, tell us everything!" Aeliana gushed, flicking her mane of blue hair behind her.

"Wouldn't that ruin the fun?"

"Come on, you have to tell us something," Aeliana gave him a nudge, "Whet our appetites a bit."

"I really can't," Blasius raised his arms in a defence-style manner, "But I can say that this is going to be the best games yet - a display of the districts in practise and in tribute." The crowd gave a giggle at the pun.

"But what's the twist? It is a quarter quell after all?"

" _The_ twist? Aeliana, dear, you're insulting me," Blasius laughed, "This Hunger Games is going to be so full of twists and turns that you'll start to feel dizzy. Everything is on the line here for these tributes and it's something that's going to separate the winner from the losers. Who'll be able to handle such sudden changes? Who can brave it all and survive?"

Blasius was being sure to pick his words carefully in fear of letting any spoilers for the games spill out. He knew the things that he had planned could even push the limits of some of the Capitol viewers but he couldn't stop now.

For him, how far he pushed the tributes was simply nothing more than a game of go hard or go home.

* * *

 **A/N** : I'm sure most people here already know the drill for 'SYOT'-style Hunger Games fics so I'm just going to give a little guidance on my story here. It's an AU in which the rebellion failed and as a following of that, the Hunger Games still commence annually. This takes place twenty-five years after the fail of the rebellion during the first quarter quell to take place since (Marking the 100th Hunger Games).

Any guidelines for the application can be found in brackets on the application next to the area it's providing guidance for. Any part of the application in italics is optional and does not need to be filled out, whether you do or do not is optional. 23 tributes will be taken in total - as I will have a tribute myself but fret not about them having an advantage or anything because I'm the author as everything will be done fairly. Places will be filled first come first serve. Please submit tributes through PM only as tributes submitted via review will not be counted.

A temporary list of tributes will be put up as the next chapter and regularly updated until all spots are filled!  
 **EDIT** : I will accept reserves through PM if necessary.

 _May the odds be ever in your favour_.


	2. Temporary Tribute Roster

Below is the roster for the tributes that have been accepted for the story. This will be updated as I receive new tributes until the list is full at which point the story will begin.

* * *

 **Tribute Roster**

[ **DISTRICT ONE - LUXURY** ]  
 _M_ : Liam Tilby (17) - _Mystical Pine Forest_  
 _F_ : Esmerelda Finkle (18) - _AstrisDreams_

[ **DISTRICT TWO - MASONRY** ]  
 _M_ : Cicero Torelli (18) - _HogwartsDreamer113_  
 _F_ : Ella Chun (18) - x-Queen-Of-Apples-x

[ **DISTRICT THREE - TECHNOLOGY** ]  
M:  
 _F_ : Binary Edison (17) - _Joohyunnie_

[ **DISTRICT FOUR - FISHING** ]  
 _M_ : Jasper Milo (14) - _Rosaline Star Cavalry_  
 _F_ : Juvia Corsair (17) - _MidnightRaven323_

[ **DISTRICT FIVE - POWER** ]  
 _M_ : Alethio Power (18) - _santiagoponchini20_  
 _F_ : Clover Johnson (13) - _Seahorse8_

[ **DISTRICT SIX - TRANSPORTATION** ]  
 _M_ : Renault Weissman - _MidnightRaven323_  
 _F_ : Wonder Noble (12) - _Rosaline Star Cavalry_

[ **DISTRICT SEVEN - LUMBER** ]  
 _M_ : Darroch Hackman (17) - _Josephm611_  
F: Reserved (?) - _Reddun_

[ **DISTRICT EIGHT - TEXTILES** ]  
M:  
 _F_ : Ariella Yarnn (14) - _Mystical Pine Forest_

[ **DISTRICT NINE - GRAIN** ]  
 _M_ : Atreus Kadire (17) - _Ares the War God_  
F: Reserved (?) - _TomTheWriter_

[ **DISTRICT TEN - LIVESTOCK** ]  
 _M_ : Ezra Stockridge (18) - _Josephm611_  
 _F_ : Glenna Corinth (15) - _HogwartsDreamer113_

[ **DISTRICT ELEVEN - AGRICULTURE** ]  
M: Talon Coactus - _grimbutnotalways_  
 _F_ : Leyna Eden (13) - _superepicstarkette1211_

[ **DISTRICT TWELVE - MINING** ]  
M:  
 _F_ : Devon Alistar Rose (17) - _Nightmares Are Dreams Too_


	3. Juvia I

**JUVIA I**

* * *

The peacekeepers had begun to arrive in District Four on mass that day.

There had been countless screenings of security bulletin short films to the people of the district telling them not to be alarmed by the presence of the military police force and it was simply a precaution for the ever nearing reaping of the one hundredth Hunger Games. According to them, they didn't want any harm to come to the people of the districts in the case of hysterics and unforeseen circumstances due to the special occasion – that being the Quarter Quell – however, that message fooled little. Most people of the district had translated that into 'The Capitol doesn't wish to have another Rebellion on its toes so we must scare you into submission'.

It was working well enough, however.

Juvia had decided that she didn't want to dwell on the arrival – she didn't have time for it. Instead, she'd taken to following her regular routine unlike many others who'd decided to keep inside and quiet for the day. Though it wasn't likely that she would have much trouble on the wharf. Despite the abundance of fishing sectors found in District Four – there was fifteen to be precise, all quite large in their own respect – she sat perched at the same dock every time. It was easy to think that it was because she lived in sector fifteen but as it was the furthest away from any housing district it was in fact very unlikely.

Strangers didn't think she spoke much either nor did most of the traders or fishermen that habited the wharf; the aura she radiated didn't help. Juvia emitted an air of hostility even doing something as simple as sitting.

That day, she'd managed to find peace.

Due to the faraway location of fishing sector fifteen, with all the peacekeepers habiting the streets, it was a waste to travel all the way there and back on business unless you wanted to be subjected to _a lot_ of searches. With her feet dangling into the cold ocean water and nothing but the sound of waves in her ear; it was one of the most calming experiences in a long time.

"Hey, _Corsair_!" Juvia turned upon hearing a familiar voice call out her surname.

Juvia's head didn't move an inch in the direction of the voice, instead, she continued to stare out at the waves of water before her. She didn't need to turn around to know that Nereus was _idiotically_ running down the wet dock to get closer to her.

"You not going to look at me?" She heard him chuckle as he plopped down next to her before he put his arm around her to pull her closer to him as a bold – well, bolder than she may have liked – sign of affection, "You fucker." There was no anger in his curses but instead affection.

"I don't need to," she shrugged her shoulders, only to have them weighed back down by his arm which was considerably heavy on her due to his years as a fisherman, "You're not going to change over the course of a day."

"Really? So this bruise on my face from one of the peacekeepers isn't a change?" he chuckled, causing Juvia to look around at her companion in surprise.

There was no change at all, no bruise to be seen. Nereus broke out into laughter.

"You really fell for it," he punched her arm lightly, "You're still a gullible little shit, aren't you?"

"And you still curse like a sailor, it's unnecessary, you know?" Juvia didn't spare him an eye roll.

"Well I am a sailor so your point is really _fucking_ irrelevant," She swore he was just doing it now to bother her.

"Doesn't mean you have to act like that – why did you come here anyway? Thought you'd make with the rest of the masses and stay inside."

"Do you really think that a couple of tin soldiers dressed up in white can intimidate me? Don't be naïve – everyone else being gone means there's more fish more me to catch and who knows? If I get a big cut today maybe I can grill us up something special for after the reaping."

"After the reaping? You're sounding hopeful."

"You can't seriously be worried; you know how big District Four is right?"

"Twelve year olds that have had their names in there once have been picked before," Juvia pointed out. From what she'd learned in school growing up, that was how the Second Rebellion started – when the sister of Katniss Everdeen had been reaped twenty five years prior.

"You're not too worried right? Your bad luck ran out two years ago," Nereus tousled Juvia's dark locks as a playful gesture.

At his words, Juvia froze in her spot.

"You okay?" the words seemed to fall on deaf ears as she didn't meet his gaze.

" _Juvia_?"

"I don't want to talk about it," her voice sounded grittier and harsher than it had moments ago.

"It's been _two years_ ," he made a point to stress the last two words - if she wasn't aware how much stronger he was than her, she would have hit him.

"Two years too little," she shoved his arm from her shoulder as she rose up from the edge of the wharf, proceeding to storm away. He wasn't going to follow her and the brunette was very much aware of such.

The walk home took a lot less time that it would have on any regular day. Most of the streets were empty and many of the shops were closed; her ears only registered the sounds of factories in the distance and her shoes making contact with the ground. Peacekeepers were standing on just about every corner that the brunette passed with an air of arrogance and terror – she couldn't think of a name more ironic.

The reaping was days away and she was days closer to being a potential participant in the Hunger Games.

And if so, there would be no one to save her from her past terrors either.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm planning on just releasing some (small) introduction chapters for tributes I've already received until I have the whole roster and can get everything for the story finalised so things like the reapings can begin. Admittedly, this isn't my best but it works well enough for what it was meant to be. Expect more of these for some of the characters (I'll try and do them all but there are no promises here)!

 _Juvia Corsair was submitted by MidnightRaven323_ \- thank you to her for her wonderful character!


	4. Binary I

**BINARY I**

* * *

The sun had rose and set by the time that Binary had left one of District Three's many programming facilities.

That had been the same with most of the citizens as with the nearing Hunger Games; the games meant more work and more work meant more money, many were jumping at the opportunity to earn more money as most in near abject poverty would be. In all truth, Binary preferred leaving at midnight to the middle of the day: she worked well and earned good – for what it was – money which was much needed by her family. That was also supported by her favour for working in the dark engineering offices of the facilities as after many generations of doing such, Binary's family (and her as a result) had developed vision overly sensitive to light.

Unlike the increase in household funds, the Hunger Games was not something that was eagerly welcomed in District Three.

It wasn't as if Binary couldn't tell why but the more apathetic part of her was bothered by the hype over it – she wondered if the other districts panicked as much over it. District Three, being one of the poorest districts in toll with its industry not being as physical based as many of the others, barely ever stood a chance in hell of having a surviving tribute. It was the talk of the Base-two facility that day – she recalled every repetitive word of parents' panic over their freshly turned twelve year old – and she was starting to care less and less about it.

That was just how the capitol wanted things to go – for them to all sink into submission and say "well that's how it is, we have to deal with it."

She was as at risk as any of the others that were going to attend the reaping and she knew that whether she was reaped or not that the entire district was going to be witnessing a slaughter of the people that they care about. Binary was just as aware of her chances too – she carried herself on high intelligence but physically, she was much weaker than the vast majority of past tributes she had seen (and who she would size up as a model for the district's statistics) so she didn't fare much better than most younger tributes.

Like many, she'd rushed home not wanting to be caught in the dark, dingy parts of the district that didn't seem much safer even with the influx of peacekeepers. Since the second rebellion, many of the districts had been in poor condition even more so than they had been prior. Whenever Binary opened her mouth to complain about the lifestyle she had, she took a moment to think before she closed her mouth again: at least she wasn't in District Twelve.

"I'm home!" she called into the shabby apartment as she walked inside. She swore the door was going to fall off of its hinges one of those days; the paint had already chipped off years ago.

There was no reply.

"Mother? Father? Boo'?" she called out, looking for some acknowledgement.

This time, she heard coughing from her and her sister's bedroom prompting her to stroll through there.

Having her walk in made the room feel cramped already: having a bunk bed, cabinets and a lamp was already too much to have in toll with people there too. There she found her elder sister lying in bed with a cover over her and with all light being blocked from the room.

"Boo'? Are you feeling okay?" Binary asked, kneeling down beside her sister's bedside to get at eye-level with her.

Her elder sister groaned in response making Binary roll her eyes at her. Binary had inherited little of her mother's (overly) caring and lacked the patience to put up with her as her parent would have.

" _Boolean_!" Binary snapped at her, using her full name, "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm just sick – you know how it is," Boolean coughed, brushing out the black hair that was sticking to her flushed and sweaty face away, "Loads from people from my engineering section are coming down with something lately."

"Have you ever thought of actually telling someone about this!?"

"Like who? This is common in District Three," Boolean made an effort to chuckle but it came off sounding uncharacteristically bitter to Binary's ears, "We're over-populated – no real authority figure's going to care for some disease, at least until it gets to them."

"You're being over dramatic," Binary was just trying to make her feel better. She was probably more aware of the government's apathy for the common folk more so than her elder sister.

"I'm not," a hearty cough came from her.

"At least you're not eligible for the Hunger Games anymore," Binary shrugged, pulling her long brunette locks into a tight ponytail, "It's one less lecture of mother telling us that our ancestors cursed us."

This time, Boolean laughed at the reoccurring memory of years past, "I know ' _our ancestors cursed us the moment they left China to come here, you believe me, no? It's all their fault_ '."

Binary laughed, "That's all the past for you – I still have two reapings worth left."

Boolean went quiet again; Binary titled her head in confusion at her sister's silence, " _What_?"

"Just, don't get picked okay?" Her hand reached out to her younger sibling.

Binary chuckled, "It's not my choice."

"Just don't," it sounded more like a plea than anything else.

"I'm not _twelve_ ," Binary basically spat out the words with spite, "What happens, happens."

"We need you here," the grip on Binary's hand was tightening now; the circulation felt like it was cutting off.

"Other families need their children too."

"Not all other families were lucky enough to get a kid in the programming facility so young – you're basically our source of income right now. If you were gone, we'd be even worse off."

"What happened to marrying rich? I thought you were going to run off to the capitol and meet your pink haired prince? That's what you used to say."

" _When I was ten!_ " Boolean raised her voice to sound intimidating but was put to silence by her own coughing and the heavy feeling in her chest.

"And you've not grown up since," Abruptly, Binary stood up, dropping her sister's hand, "I'm going for a walk."

Binary walked out of her apartment with no spring in her step, looking around at the people teetering around in the darkness.

She imagined for a moment what the people in the capitol would be doing if they could see the state that the people of Panem lived in. Binary imagined their eyes pricking with tears for a moment with a sadness that a new glass of quirky alcohol could fix; staring impassively at the suffering as if it were fiction.

* * *

 **A/N** : Here's the second of the character introductions. I hope to get more/most of these out soon while I wait on more tributes but I think it's good to just be getting character foundations out right now. They'll probably come out in a somewhat similar order to the order in which I received the tributes.

 _Binary Edison was submitted by myself_.


	5. Cicero I

**CICERO I**

* * *

The sight of children huddled around the grime and the shelter of the run-down, gloomy, drab buildings was not a welcome sight. However the gasps and whispers around the pair were even worse in his opinion.

With the reapings for the Hunger Games a mere four days away, Cicero's brother, Avitus, had decided to take him on a walk on the poorer side of District Two as what he described a as a 'lesson' to his sibling. What Cicero had assumed as a final time for learning some useful knowledge had turned into a time for his brother to step into the discount limelight once again. With most of the necessities for careers being so far from the poorer side of the district, Cicero (and most others in his position) strayed from the area but he didn't realise that his sibling was even such a celebrity in such a run-down place.

" _Is that?_ –"

" _Oh my god, it totally is?_ "

" _Do you think we can get his autograph or say hi to him?_ "

He had to have heard those three questions at least ten times over and he was beginning to tire of it.

Whether he liked it or not - and it wasn't hard to see that he felt the latter – Avitus was a big deal around District Two. He was more of a symbol of District Two by that time than a man, the winner of the 93rd Hunger Games and a role model to careers everywhere due to his brutal and unforgiving nature in the arena – Cicero still had a vivid image of when he watched his brother murdering his allies as the numbers dwindled down. A true role model, the thought made Cicero chuckle in resentment for his brother, no way did his sibling deserve the respect he'd garnered; not when he had none of others.

His brown eyes wandered to his side, having been lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice that his brother had stopped to speak with some of the girls that had been gushing over him as they passed. It was typical of him but that didn't bother Cicero any less.

As Avitus caught up to Cicero, he noticed the blush appearing on the common girl's face. "Sweet girl," he laughed, "She almost reminds me of last year's tribute I trained."

"Avi–" Cicero made an attempt to cut off his brother's mindless words but the pride struck man continued.

"She was a feisty one, always saying no to me – she was fun," he smiled as if he was recalling a fond memory, Cicero believed the other would be feeling differently from how he knew his sibling, "Too bad she was killed but maybe if she'd shown a little more to me, I would've been a better teacher."

Cicero saved the look of disgust; it would do no good. True, the man was a career but he had respect for other's lives (though true, he could hear the lesser districts scoffing at the statement) and basic human decency.

"Is this why you brought me here?" Cicero questioned, raising his eyebrows in curiosity, "To speak to me about girls and dead tributes?"

Avitus shrugged, slinging an arm around his brother's broad shoulder, "You could say something like that – tell me, brother, what do you see before you?"

He took a moment to study his surroundings before he answered, "Hungry people, destroyed housing, buildings that look like they're going to fall apart."

"Exactly, Cicero, exactly," Avitus mused, "The reaping's days away and this is your last year to volunteer."

"I know, you know I'm going to volunteer though," the younger of the two furrowed his brow.

"But if you don't, if you get scared, I know it's going to be a quarter quell and that's off-putting-"

Cicero cut him off abruptly, "That doesn't mean I'm going to quit – I'm a _winner_." And if Cicero had anything to do about it, he would be a much more honourable winner than his brother.

"I know and as an extra deterrent, I brought you here today – do you see why?" Avitus asked, taking a somewhat scenic look at slums.

 _To see that what we have is a huge privilege?_ Certainly not.

"I brought you here to see what would become of you if you didn't volunteer," Avitus tightened his grip on his brother's shoulder, "Father's a man filled with pride and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree – we want the best for you brother. And what would happen if you wasted your potential by staying quiet tomorrow?"

"I already said that I'm _not_ -"

"And besides, I've spent the last seven years taking you up to my associates in the Capitol, wait till they see you – everyone's been itching to finally meet _Avitus' little brother_."

Now that left a sour taste in Cicero's mouth.

If anything that turned him off going into the games - though he was going to no matter what. Having lived in the shadow of his brother since birth, and even more so since his brother's games, Cicero wanted to make a name for himself and show what type of man he was – and that was not the type of man that was simply following on a family name.

In his brother's silence, Avitus laughed and hit his arm playfully, "Come on, I'm sure that the Capitol are going to love you; with me training you, our family team is going to be the talk of the city."

 _Family team_ , the thought made him internally groan.

Cicero would have laughed too, if it wasn't for the growing spite.

* * *

 **A/N** : And here is the third character to be introduced through a chapter. If I'm honest, I don't like this as much as the preceding two but at least it's out, I suppose? I'm hoping to have the rest of them out soon with summer fast approaching so stay tuned! Only a few more tributes until the list is filled!

 _Cicero Torelli was submitted by HogwartsDreamer113 - thank you to her for such a great character!_


End file.
